Liquid feed dividing means



Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet lfINIZiNTOR.

81 W be? M K M 1441 ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1947 VINVENTOR. BM W K. M

M ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 8, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3 5 2sINVENTOR.

m ,a mu; 29 3| '6 28 BY 9 'a 'u-za M I 20 38I5'9 l3 12 24 .414, ATTORNEYPatented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED :sTArEs PATENT OFFICE LIQUID :FEED DIVIDINGMEANS Henry .R. Welhy, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit LubricatorCompany, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application .OctobenS, 1947, Serial No. 778,577

Claims. .1 V

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in liquid feeddividers in general and more particularly to .feed dividers ,for use inautomatic mechanical lubrication.

.One of the objects-of this invention is to provide .a new and improvedliquid feed divider which will receive liquid through a single inletport and discharge it successively and automatically through .eachof aplurality of outlet ports.

Anotherobject is to provide-an improved liquid feed'dividerof the typeutilizinga pair of double acting pump vplungers.

Another object isto provide aliquid feed-divider of the .type,utilizinga pair of douhleaoting pump plungers having a means forrelieving pressure and restoring the plungersto normal operation in theevent that the .plungers become locked inan intermediate position.

Other-objects will become apparent-from time to time throughout thespecification and claims as hereinafter related.

,In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of thisspecification, there is .clearly and fully illustrated .a preferredembodiment of this invention, in which drawing:

Figure .1 is a view in front elevation of a liquid feed dividerembodying this invention and showing the exterior of the casing and theinlet and outlet fittings,

Fig. .2 is a view in right. elevation of the feed divider shown in Fig.1,

Fig.3 is a plan viewof the .feeddivider shown in ,Fig. 1,

,Fig. 4 is a sectional view of. the feed divider of Fig. 1 taken on the.section line 4-4 and showing the check valve in an auxiliary outletpassageway,

Fig. .5 is a sectional view taken on the section line '55 of Fig. 1showing the pump plungers and showingone of the plungersin section whichcontains a passagewayand check valve,

Figs. 6, v7, 8, and ,9 are diagrammatic views of the cylinders andplungers of the feed divider in successive stages of operation, and.

Fig. is a diagrammatic view similar to that shown in Figs. 6, '1, 8, and9 but showing the plungers in an intermediateilocked position.

Referring to the drawings bycharacters of ref erence there is a feeddivider ,l comprisinga .cas ing Z'having an inlet members and aplurality of outlet members 43. The casing .2 has .a pair of cylindricalpassageways or cylinders 5 and .6 .re-

There is an inlet passageway 18 leading from the inlet memher 3 to thecylinder Band extending to thecylinder 6 as a passageway 9. There arefour outlet passageways ll 1 i, IZand 13 respectively leading iromthecylinders 5 and 6 to theoutlet members t. Positioned in the cylinders 5and 6 are a pair of reciprocally movable plungersor pistons M and 15respectively.

The pistons .14 and 45 each have three spaced annular grooves it, 4.1,it and l9, 28, 2-4 respectively, When either of the pistons is or 15 ismoved to one extremity of the cylinder in which it is carried there isformed aey-lindrical spaceor cavity at the other end ofv the cylinder.The cylinder 5 has two such cavities .22 and 23 and the cylinder .6 hastwo cavities 2s and 2 5. There are a pair of passageways 25 and 21running from the .end portions .22 and .23 respectively -of cylinder topaced points in the central portion of'cylinder ,5. Similarly there arepassageways 28 and 29 running fromend portions 24 and 25 respectively ofcylinder ii to spaced points in the central portion of cylinder 5. Thevarious passageways heretofore enumerated form valve ports at theirpoints of entrance into the cylinders Eand 6; and are controlled by thepistons andgrooves whichare cooperable therewith The piston 5 hasdiametrical passageway .35.! through the grooved portion .28 and alongitudinal axial passagewayil extending from the passageway to to theend portion which forms the cavity 2.5,. The passageway has an enlargedportion 32 in which is positioned a longitudinally movable check valve33 which iscooperable with a valve seat member es. Thecheek valve 33 hasan axial cavity '35 therein into which open one or more apertures 35 forthe passage of liquid therethrough. A 'screw threaded plug member 37closes the open end of the enlarged passageway portion 32 and isoperable to hold under compression a spring 38 which urges the checkvalve Kit-towards a closed position. The plug member 37 has alongitudinal passageway '38 therethrough which is operable to passliquid flowing from the check valve33. The end portion 24 of thecylinder =6 has a passageway 48 running therefrom which communicateswith the outlet passageway 1 The passageway ii! has an enlarged portion41 '(see Fig. i into which is fitted a check valve Mand valve seatmember if; :for controlling flow of liquid to theoutlet passageway ii,the check yalve tzheing urged towards closed position by a spring 44.

The description of operation of this device is made with reference tothe diagrammatic views (Figs. 6 to It should be noted that the structureand normal operation of this feed divider is substantially the same asthat disclosed in the Patent 2,155,368 to Wangenheim or the ReissuePatent 21,236 to Hillis, the novelty lying substan tially in the novelmeans for restoring the pistons to normal operation after looking in anintermediate or central position.

The oil or other liquid to operate this feed divider is provided by aforce feed lubricator or similar pressure transmitting means. In Fig. 6it is seen that oil under pressure is admitted to the inlet passageway 8and is distributed under pressure through groove l1, passageway 9,groove 23 and passageway 26 to the end portion or closed cavity 22 ofcylinder 5. The oil under pressure entering the cavity 22 will cause thepiston M to move to the left. This leftward movement of the piston itwill cause the oil, which during a previous cycle has filled the cavity23, to be discharged under pressure through the passageway 21 and groove[3 to the outlet passageway 13. Since the pistons are of equal area oneach end the oil which is discharged will be under the same pressure asat the inlet and a measured quantity will thus be supplied. The pistonill, at this point, comes to rest against the extreme left end of thecylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. '7).

In Fig. 7 the piston I4 is shown moved to the extreme leftward positionwhereat the groove I! has registered with the passageway 28 allowing oilto circulate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove I! andpassageway 28 to the end portion 24 of the cylinder 6.

As the oil under pressure enters the cylinder end portion 24 the pistonI5 is caused to move to the left. This leftward movement of the pistonI5 will cause oil, which during a previous cycle has filled cavity 25,to be discharged through passageway 29 and groove [8 to the outletpassageway i ll, the piston l5 coming to rest at an extreme leftwardposition in the cylinder 6 (as shown in Fig. 8 or in Fig. 5).

In Fig. 8 the piston is shown moved to the extreme leftward positionwhereat the groove has registered with passageway 21 allowing oil tocirculate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove ll, passageway 9,groove 20, and passageway 21 to the end portion or cavity 23 of cylinder5. As the oil under pressure enters the cylinder end portion 23 thepiston Id is caused to move to the right. This rightward movement of thepiston M will cause oil, which during a previous cycle has filled thecavity 22, to be discharged through passageway 26 and groove 2! to theoutlet passageway l2, the piston M- coming to rest at an extremerightward position in the cylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. 9).

In Fig. 9 the piston 14 is shown moved to the extreme rightward positionwhereat the groove I! has registered with the passageway 29 allowing oilto circulate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove I! andpassageway 29 to the end portion or cavity of the cylinder 6. As the oilunder pressure enters the cylinder end portion 25 the piston I5 iscaused to move to the right thus causing oil which during a previouscycle has filled the cavity 24, to be discharged through passageway 28and groove it to the outlet passageway l I,the piston coming to rest atan extreme right ward position in the cylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. 6).

At this point a complete cycle of operation has been completed and thepistons are in their initial position of Fig. 6, this same continuouscycle of operation being repeated over and over.

Under certain conditions it is possible that the pistons l4 and I 5could simultaneously reach a position where both would be centrallylocated between their stops or end points thus causing the divider tobecome locked. Fig. 10 shows this condition wherein pistons I4 and I5have stopped centrally thus closing the various passageways 26, 21, 28and 29 so that oil can neither enter nor leave either of the cylinders.In order to release the pistons from this position two needle checkvalves 33 and 42 are provided; one being used in the piston l5 and theother in the casing in a suitable location.

When the oil pressure to the inlet passageway 8 continues to increase,due to the locked position of the pistons l4 and I5, this increase willcause the check valve 33 in the piston [5 to open thus permitting oil toflow through the passageway 3|, the apertures 36, and the passageway 39to the cavity 25. The pressure at which the check valve 33 will open iscontrolled by the spring 38. As the oil under increased pressure entersthe .cavity 25 the piston [5 will move to the right thus causing a,corresponding increase of pressure in the cavity 24 and auxiliarypassageway 43 until the check valve 42 opens and permits oil to bedischarged into the outlet passageway II. This rightward movement of thepiston IE will continue until the groove 20 registers with thepassageway 26 allowing oil to enter cavity 22, move the piston M to theleft and discharge oil from the cavity 23. At this point the pistons l4and I5 are in the position shown in Fig. '7 and will begin to functionnormally again. Under ordinary operating conditions the predeterminedspring load on the check valves 33 and 42 plus the oil outlet pressureprevents the oil from opening the check valves.

It should be further noted that the novelty of this invention liessubstantially in providing a means to permit oil to enter the cavity atone end of one of the locked pistons and to permit oil to be dischargedfrom the cavity at the other I end of the piston. .The means shown anddescribed is only one of several possible means by which this resultmight be obtained. One possible alternative would be (see Fig. 10) toprovide an auxiliary inlet pasageway to cavity 22 with a check valvetherein and an auxiliary outlet passageway and check valve from cavity23. This form would have both check valves and passageways in the casingand thus would eliminate the one in the piston. It should be obvious toone skilled in the art that there are a number of possible alternativeswhich would be the equivalent of the form shown.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and aplurality of fluid outlet passageways, a pair of cylinders, a pluralityof ports therein and passageways interconnecting said cylinder ports andsaid inlet and outlet passageways, a reciprocally movable piston in eachcylinder actuated by incoming fluid at one end of the cylinder andejecting a measured quantity of fluid from the opposite end of thecylinder through a cylinder port and an interconnecting passageway intothe other cylindensaid pistons being alternately actuated, each pistonwhen stationary constituting a valve cooperable with said ports andpassageways and operable to control and direct both the admission andejection of fluid to and from the other cylinder and causing the fluidreceived from the opposite end of one cylinder to be directly dischargedout of an associated casing outlet passageway under the inlet pressure,the relationship of said pistons to said ports and passageways beingsuch that if said pistons should simultaneously stop at a valve closedposition the various ports and passageways would be so blocked as toprevent fluid from entering and leaving both of said cylinders,andmea-ns to permit fluid to enter one end of one of said cylinders andto be discharged from the other end of said one cylinder when both ofsaid pistons are in said valve closed position thereby to cause saidpistons to return to normal operating positions; said last-named meanscomprising an auxiliary outlet passageway from one end of one of saidcylinders, a spring closed check valve in said last-named passagewayoperable to open at a predetermined pressure, a passageway in the pistonof said one cylinder having one end registerable with said fluid inletand its other end opening into the other end of said one cylinder, and aspring closed check valve in said last-named passageway operable to openat a predetermined pressure to permit flow to said other end of said onecylinder.

2. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and aplurality of fluid outlet passageways, a pair of cylinders, a pluralityof ports therein and passageways interconnecting said cylinder ports andsaid inlet and outlet passageways, a reciprocally movable piston in eachcylinder actuated by incoming fluid at one end of the cylinder andejecting a measured quantity of fluid from the opposite end of thecylinder through a cylinder port and an interconnecting passageway intothe other cylinder, said pistons being alternately actuated, each pistonwhen stationary constituting a valve cooperable with said ports andpassageways and operable to control and direct both the admission andejection of fluid to and from the other cylinder and causing the fluidreceived from the opposite end of one cylinder to be directly dischargedout of an associated casing outlet passageway under the inlet pressure,one of said pistons having a diametrical passageway therethrough and anaxial passageway communicable therewith and extending to one end of saidpiston, said diametrical passageway being registerable with said inletpassageway, said casing having an auxiliary passageway extending fromthe cylinder at the other end of said one piston to the outletpassageway which receives the discharge of fluid from the other end ofsaid one piston, a spring operated check valve in said axial passagewayfor controlling the flow of fluid to said one cylinder, and a springoperated check valve in said auxiliary passageway for controlling theflow of fluid from said one cylinder.

3. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and aplurality of fluid outlet passageways, a plurality of cylinders andinterconnecting passageways, a reciprocatory piston in each cylinderactuated by incoming fluid and operable to cause the ejection of ameasured quantity of outgoing fluid, means for controlling and directingthe admission and ejection of fluid to and from said cylinders; andsafety means operable in the event of failure of operation of saidcontrolling and directing means to supply fluid pressure to one of saidpistons and to permit ejection of fluid by another of said pistons; saidlast-named means comprising an auxiliary outlet passageway from one ofsaid cylinders, a spring closed check valve in said auxiliarypassageway, an inlet passageway through said one piston registerable atone end with said fluid inlet and opening into the cylinder at the otherend, and a spring closed check valve in said last-named passageway.

4. Liquid dividing means comprising a body having two pairs of pumpchambers, a plunger in each chamber, said plungers being interconnectedin pairs, conduits for feeding liquid to and discharging liquid fromsaid chambers, valve means controlled by said plungers and controllingflow through said conduits to and from said chambers, and safetymeansop-erable in the event that said valve means should stop in aclosed position blocking feeding and discharge of liquid and includingmeans forming a first and a second auxiliary passageway respectivelyoperable to supply liquid pressure to one of said plungers and to permitdischarge of liquid by another of said plungers, said first auxiliarypassageway extending through said one plunger and having one endregisterable with one of said liquid feeding conduits and its other endopening into the pump chamber of said one plunger, and spring operatedcheck valves positioned one in each of said auxiliary passageways andoperable to control flow of liquid therethrough.

5. A device for dividing into measured quantities a stream of liquid tobe supplied thereto under pressure, comprising means having a pluralityof chambers, a plurality of plungers contained in and reciprocallyfitting said chambers such that each chamber has a plunger cooperabletherewith, means coupling said plungers' in pairs whereby each of theplungers in a pair is operable to drive and to be driven by the otherplunger of its pair, conduit means for flow of liquid to and from eachof said chambers and including an outlet for each of said chambers and amain inlet, valve means controlled by movement of said plungers andoperable to control flow through said conduit means for cyclic operationof said plungers, safety means operable to reestablish cyclic plungeroperation in the event of interruption thereof by said valve means, saidsafety means including one of said pairs of plungers and an inletpasageway and an outlet passageway, safety valves in said passageways,said passageways leading respectively from said main inlet and from oneof said outlets to the chambers of said safety means pair of plungers,one of said safety means plungers having one of said passageways leadingtherethrough and opening through its end wall, said one safety meansplunger having a valve chamber in its passageway and containing one ofsaid safety valves, and spring means urging said safety valves closedagainst flow from said main inlet and to said one outlet.

HENRY R. WELBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

